Strong Black Men Are Real...

Got really disturbing news recently that someone I thought a really upstanding, proud, committed and strong young Black man to be loved and celebrated by our village literally just walked away from his responsibility, his Family, his honor and TWO young Sons he brought into the world. Just like that! What makes him think he has that luxury? I really want to know.

I reminded his young wife, who is as beautiful and kind as they come, that she is a solid Black woman who hails from solid stock and is firmly rooted in strong Black womanhood, that will sustain and carry her no matter how turbulent and rocky the storm, she WILL survive... I have COMPLETE confidence that although her dream shattered, her heart broke, she WILL land firmly on her feet! I assured her that like my Mother and far too many before her, she AND her two young Black Sons, will be just fine!

But come on my Brothas', Black Women are tired of being, having to prove that we are, super women. We hurt too... We just want to be women who are loved, cherished, adored, protected, respected as do all other women. We want, no we need, you to step up, not to be super, just to be men. You are not allowed to run and continue to present yourself in the world as upstanding and respectable when the the back drop is that when the going got rough and you CHOSE to abandon YOUR children, ESPECIALLY YOUR SONS. No longer can you, without responsibility nor accountability, sit back scratching your head, blaming their Mamas, the White man and anyone else who is convenient when OUR sons (and daughters for that matter) don't thrive, never get over your rejection, join a gang just to belong or to "learn how to be a man", become a statistic, follow your lead and abandon their responsibilities too! You're just not allowed... It is YOUR DUTY to break the cycle. Sistahs are tired! Good Brothas', we need you to take on the task of putting OUR bad Brothas in check! It is not our job. Handle your business!

And where is the village that produced this young man? Are the women demanding that he respect the Black Woman who he claimed to love and who bore his children? Are the men demanding that he step up and be the strong Black man they raised and exampled for him to be? I don't know but I do know that if ever the village needs to be real and present, it is now...

This is not an anti-Black man rant. Writing is just what I do and quite frankly I am tired of singing, hearing the same ole' song. We need a new song, new lyrics, written and sung by our Brothas. The young man I speak of here is an aspiring professional who is already well on his way, an HBCU grad, comes from an intact Family. He KNOWS better! The expectations were high. His wife, who I adore, is crushed and surely are his young toddler Sons who have not seen their "daddy" in three months! I HOPE he is reading this. Get over yourself young man! You made grown man choices. Now act like a grown man and handle your responsibilities and stop behaving like the overly indulged, spoiled baby boy child of the Family that you obviously are. It is NO LONGER about YOU. Really it isn't...